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Aug. 6, 1929. J. BATE 1,723,538

HEATING APPARATUS Filed May 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l naw/14M Jasefiiz 55am i: m m

Aug. 6, 1929. J, E BATE 1,723,538

HEATING APPARATUS Filed May 16, 1927. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 6, 192% JOSEPH E. BATIE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO KELSEY WHEEL COMPANY, INC, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HEATING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 16,

The invention relates to heating appara tus and more particularly to apparatus for heating articles such as flat circular sheet metal blanks preparatory to drawing the same into brake drums. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a heating apparatus which will efiiciently heata large number of blanks and yet occupy but relatively small floor space. Another object is to so construct the heating apparatus that it may be operated with the minimum number of attendants. With these as well as other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation illustrating a heating apparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross'section on the line 33 of Figure 1.

The heating apparatus shown in the present instance is designed particularly for use in heating flat circular sheet. metal blanks which are to be subsequently drawn into brake drums. 1 is the furnace of the apparatus having the vertically extending heating chamber 2 which is preferably cylindrical. The lower end of this heating chamber is preferably open while the upper end is closed by the cap 3. The wall of the heating chamber is provided near its upper end with the discharge opening 4. and the diametrically opposite opening 5, the opening 4 being of a size to permit the simultaneous passage of a flat circular sheet metal blank 6 and a spacer 7 and the opening being of a size to permit the passage of a suitable push bar for forcing the blanks and spacers through the opening 4. In order to provide for' practically uniformly heating each blank, each spacer 7 is in the nature of a spider and as shown has the hub 8 and the radial arms 9.

For feeding the blanks and spacers into the furnace I have provided the vertically reciprocatory ram 10 which is preferably operated by water under pressure. This ram located below the furnace and the blanks and spacers are conducted with one blank and one spacer at a time to a "point above the by the feeding chute 111 when 1927. Serial No. 191,881.

ram is in lowermost position. For holding the blanks and spacers in their elevated po sitions while unsupported by the ram, I have provided dogs 12 which have the-horizontally extending shoulders 13 for engaging the lowermost blank and cam faces 14 connecting into the shoulders and engageable by the blank resting upon the ram to compel these dogs to swing outwardly and permit the blank and the spacer thereon to be raised above the shoulders of the dogs, the dogs then returning to position their shoulders for engagement with the blank resting upon the ram.

15 are vertically extending guides within the chamber 2 and having guiding surfaces 16 for contacting with the blanks to hold the latter spaced from the wall of the chamber. In the present instance the furnace is heated by the gas burners 16 which are located within the chamber adjacent to its wall and clear the blanks during their upward movement. The guides 15 terminate at a point such that the blanks and spacers may be readily removed from the heating chamber through the discharge opening 4.

17 is a track registering with the discharge opening 4: and terminating in a downwardly curved portion above the chute 18 leading to a press. This track is formed with a pair of parallel flange members 19 in the nature of angle bars which are spaced apart a distance greater than that between the ends of the arms of the spacers, but a distance less than the diameter of the blanks so that as each blank and a spacer therebelow is formed outsuitable spring pressed pivotal wardly through the discharge opening the spacer will be automatically separated from the blank. For automatically conducting the spacers to a point adjacent the feeding chute 11 so that they may be assembled with new blanks by an attendant at this point, I have provided the downwardly inclined chute 20 which extends around part of the furnace.

lVith this construction it will be seen that the heating apparatus occupies but relatively small floor space and at the same time will take care of a large number of blanks. It will also be seen that but two attendants at the most are necessary, one to assemble the blanks and spacers upon the feeding chute and the otherto forceout the blanks and spacers through the discharge opening. Still construction is that it may be relatively cheaply manufactured.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is: l 1. A heating apparatus having in combination a vertically extending heating chamber for receiving the articles to be heated and spacers between the articles, said chamber having a discharge opening in the upper portion 0t its wall, means for elevating the art'icles into said chan'iber through its lower end, and means for automatically separating the articles and spacers when removed from said chamber throiiig'h the discharge opening.

2. A heating apparatus having in combination a vertically extending); heating chamber tor receiving the articles to be heated and spacers between the articles, said chan'lber having' a discharge o ieninp; in the upper portion of its wall, a ram tor elevating the articles into said chamber through its lower end, means for conducting); the articles to said ram, means for autoi'uatically separating the articles and spacers when removed from said chamber through said discharge opening, and

means for conducting the spacers atter they have been separated from the articles to a point adjacent to said first mentioned conducting means.

3. A heating apparatus having in combination a vertically extending heating chamber for receiving the articles to be heated and spacers between the articles, said chamber having a closed upper end and a discharge opening in the upper portion of its wall, a reciprocatory ram for elevatingthe articles into said chamber through its lower end, means for automatically holding the articles in their elevated positions, a chute :lt'or conducting the articles to said ram, means tor automatically separating the articles and spacers when removed from said chamber through the discharge opening and a downwardly extending chute for receiving the spacers after they have been separated from the articles and conducting the spacers to a point adjacent said first mentioned chute.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

JOSEPH E. BATIE. 

